Plan for ‘most threatened’ duck in Europe
Recovery project presented for the marbled teal
A LIFE Project to restore the population of marbled teals aims to make El Hondo natural park home to 70% of the reproducing pairs in Spain, announced regional councillor for ecological transition Mireia Mollà.
The 2021-2025 initiative seeks to restore 3,000 hectares of wetlands and bring the population of ‘the most threatened duck in Europe’ up to 125 reproducing pairs.
At the presentation in El Hondo on Monday, Sra Mollà said it was fundamental in order to help this species come off the critically endangered list and conserve biodiversity.
She was joined by Elena Pita, the president of the ministry for ecological transition’s biodiversity foundation, which is coordinating the €6.4 million initiative, including 70% co-financed by the EU.
She noted that wetlands are a fundamental habitat for the species.
In addition to Valencia, Andalucía and Murcia regional governments are also involved, as well as the NGOs SEO/Birdlife and the south east naturalists’ association (ANSE).
Of the total budget, over €2.8 million has been assigned to Valencia region for a variety of actions, in particular the purchase and management of two estates, La Raja and Finca del Espigar in El Hondo natural park.
This wetland already houses 25 of the 40 reproducing
marbled teal pairs in the region.
The 40 pairs in the region is half of the total in Spain, and up from just three in 2013, which the regional government assures demonstrates the efficacy of recovery plans like its breeding in captivity programme at Santa Faz and El Soler wildlife recuperation centres.
This programme has released 736 marbled teals in various places around the country since 2020.